


For You

by cardiac_arrest



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Giselle, Fae & Fairies, Ghosts, I dont know what to tag, M/M, Magic, Miscellaneous dancing, Small Towns, Spirits, lmao sorry jt, mo and jake are sappy-ish in the first chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2019-10-09 06:23:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17401676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cardiac_arrest/pseuds/cardiac_arrest
Summary: The man laughs in return. “I never got your name.”“It’s Mitch,” Mitch beams, “Mitch Marner. What about yours?”“Call me Matts or Matty,” the man, Matts, smiles.Mitch grins, “Matts or Matty, huh? No last name?”“Nope,” Matts smiles and nudges Mitch back.“Well, Matts or Matty with no last name,” Mitch says all matter of factly, “it’s very nice to meet you.”“I could say the same, Mitch with the last name Marner.” Matts is still beaming down at him and Mitch giggles at the absurdity of their words.____or, the giselle au no one asked for(Discontinued for now.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> uh. giselle. thats the gist of this whole story. im just gonna--
> 
> may be warnings later on in the story, so be cautious. i dont want to tag them because theyll spoil a lot of stuff but ill list in end notes if there are any.
> 
> (okay jokes i dont think there will be any warnings)
> 
> have fun :)

Civilization had been long developed since Mitch was born. Sometimes Mitch wonders if there are other people out there that have more than his people and live in different ways. Sometimes he thinks about what life would be like outside of his little hamlet. But Mitch still loves his village. It’s tiny, but it has its own enchanting atmosphere to it. With no more than four hundred people living there, it has set quite a tradition for its inhabitants. Dozens of legends are passed down from generation to generation, some good and some bad. Each and every one of them has connections to the spirits and fae that wander across the forests, leaving behind mystical tales often full of bad tidings and scary omens. However, it’s not surprising that Mitch pays no mind to the bodeful creatures wandering through the forest; he never stays out past midnight. There’s nothing they could do to him to cause him discomfort much less pain and suffering. 

 

But really, the only thing he has had enough of is his mother trying to warn him against dancing too much. 

 

“Mitch!” He hears his mother call out from inside of their little cottage. He sighs, walking back inside the quaint cabin and closing the front door behind him. 

 

“Yes, mom?” Mitch asks, trudging inside the wooden interior of his house. 

 

“Don’t you think it’s a little early to be going?” she says, sitting by their modest fireplace and knitting socks in preparation for fall. 

 

“It’s almost noon,” Mitch counters. There’s a slight frown to his face. He doesn’t like to be shut in all day. 

 

“Mitch,” his mother says with her own version of a disappointed frown. There’s a worried tone in her voice. He knows what it means. 

 

“I’ll be fine,” he ensures, “my heart’s not going to give up anytime soon. I promise not to dance.” He smiles reassuringly. It usually makes his mother feel better. 

 

“Don’t say that! You know I’m just worried for you,” she scolds, waving her needles in Mitch’s direction and threatening Mitch with a healthy smack.

 

“Ow!” he yelps, quickly turning for the door. “I’ll see in the afternoon then, mom!” 

 

Mitch rushes out before she can say anything else or, better yet, find another way to keep him inside the suffocating house. 

 

He pulls the ribbons on his tunic tighter, double-checking the integrity of the bow as he hurries towards the village square. Many people are on the streets, all busy due to the harvest season. 

 

Mitch waves hello to a group of children out on the hay carts, having delivered a few knitted items from his mother to their family. They squeal, jumping down from the cart and running to latch onto Mitch’s legs. He laughs loudly, patting their hands and hugging them around the shoulders awkwardly. The children giggle as his wide, fluttery sleeves brush past their ears, sending tickles through their bodies. 

 

“Mitch!” they scream with vigour, all trying to tug at his hair. 

 

“Hey!” he says in reply, smiling widely at each of them. He shakes off each of their hands gently, wincing as a girl tugs too hard. “What are you guys doing?”

 

The youngest boy answers with a soft voice, shyly tugging on Mitch’s pants with wide green eyes, “we’re jumping on the hay. Everyone says it’s really fun so that’s why we’re doing it.” Mitch’s heart melts a little as the other children all shush the boy with cautious faces. 

 

“That isn’t very safe,” Mitch says. “Do your parents know about what you’re doing?” He hugs the youngest boy closer, tucking a loose strand of auburn hair behind the boy’s ear and smiling down at him. 

 

“No! Don’t tell them please!” the bold girl pleads with clasped hands, shaking them furiously as if that would sway Mitch towards not letting her parents know what they were doing. Mitch didn’t plan on telling them in the first place.

 

“Well,” he drags out, straightening up and pretending he’s thinking. The kids are in an outrage around him, all shouting various compliments to dissuade him from ever mentioning the unspeakable event of hay cart jumping. 

 

“I don’t know,” he shrugs. “This is a pretty serious offence we’re dealing with right now.” 

 

“Please, Mitch! We promise we won’t do it again!”

 

“Well… if you guys promise to  _ never _ do anything unsafe again, then I won’t tell your parents.” Mitch smiles amusedly.

 

There are looks of disbelief on every child’s face. They whisper to each other, discussing the viability of Mitch’s statement and if it’s really worth it. Mitch snorts to himself, still petting at the youngest boy’s hair. These kids are really great, Mitch thinks. Promises actually mean something to all of them. 

 

“Fine,” the bold girl huffs. “We won’t do anything unsafe ever again if  _ you _ promise to never tell our parents!” 

 

Mitch laughs, eyes crinkling at the edges, “I promise, Charlotte.” 

 

The kids all side-eye him, reluctantly giving him a collective hug before letting him leave. 

 

“Have fun, kids. But not too much fun!” he smiles as he continues down the road. He sounds like Mo. 

 

The smile stays on his lips as he wanders at his own leisure. The birds are chirping their last songs before the arrival of fall, flying about from roof to roof. The smell of ripe fruit is ever present in the village, carts of grapes and apples and peaches attended by townsfolk scattered throughout the village. Mitch waves to several of the vendors and buys a small basketful of strawberries from one of them. He pops one of the strawberries in his mouth, admiring the sweet taste. He sucks at his fingers, removing the red hue that saturates them. 

 

It only takes a few more minutes of walking - and small talk with villagers - before he reaches the only bakery. He sees Mo and Jake sitting at a small table outside, already armed with bread and tiny pastries. 

 

“Finally!” Mo exclaims as Mitch approaches them, standing up sharply to give Mitch a friendly pat on the shoulder. Jake only leans back lazily in his chair with a smile and waves. 

 

“It’s not that late,” Mitch pouts, swiping up a fruit tart and biting into it. He sets his basket of strawberries down in return, watching with amusement as Mo practically jumps on them. 

 

“Morgan here,” Jake drawls, “has been waiting forever to see you.” There’s a scoff and a glare from Mo in Jake’s direction as he shoves him lightly. Mitch giggles and hugs Mo tightly, hopefully expressing his desire to see them too. 

 

“I couldn’t help it,” Mitch says, still holding onto Mo, “my mom was holding me up.”

 

Mo frowns, “did she tell you not to go out again?”

 

“Well, yeah, she did. But it’s fine, I swear! I feel great!” Mitch excuses, facing scrunching up as he tries to get Mo off his case. Mo turns his head and looks at Jake as if he’s asking him if Mitch should be sent back home. Mitch’s eyes widen. He turns to Jake quickly, expressing his discontent at the idea.

 

“Jake!” he exclaims. “No, I’m doing amazing! Don’t let Mo send me back.” He pulls out his best puppy-eyes, clasping his hands underneath his chin to further illustrate the effect. 

 

Jake sighs, his face going through a series of weird looks. He wipes a hand over his face and groans. “It’s too early to be thinking about this.”

 

Mitch doesn’t say anything and keeps his pose. Mo is still glaring at Jake. Mitch doesn’t think Jake likes it when Mo is mad at him. 

 

“Fine, Mitchy,” Jake says, a little reluctant. “You can come, but no dancing this time.” 

 

Well, Mitch thinks, it could be worse. 

 

He fist pumps once as Mo rolls his eyes. “You better not faint on me,” Mo mutters, his worried tone shining through his voice underneath. Mitch appreciates how much Mo cares about him.

 

Mitch links an arm under Mo’s and smiles, “I promise.” He kicks Jake with a foot, nudging him out of his seat. “Let’s go!” Mitch is off and running towards the forest boundaries before Mo can stop him. He can hear Mo complaining behind him and scolding Jake for allowing Mitch to come, but it’s all so warm and familiar that Mitch can do nothing but beam even wider. 

  
  
  


Mitch reaches the little clearing first and falls back into the grass. The waterfall in the background rushes over steep cliffs, bubbling happily along its way. The grass is long, tickling Mitch’s skin where it’s exposed. The smell of wildflowers permeates the air, Mitch takes a big whiff of the scent. An unconscious smile is present on his face as he closes his eyes, the sun’s heat a welcome presence on his face. The gentle breeze ruffles his hair while the birds and animals are chirping along in the forest nearby. This is the only place where he feels this good.

 

The infamous forest is only a few metres away. Mitch turns his head and looks at the foreboding place. It’s supposed to be scary and menacing during the night, but right now it looks to be the opposite of that. Mitch isn’t supposed to go to the forest at all, especially during the night when the Willis come out unless he wanted to get recruited by one of them. His mother forbade him from ever setting foot in there. But when the sunlight streams through the trees and shines on the leaves, the forest looks inviting. Mitch doesn’t care about the Willis. He’s never going to become one. He doesn’t see any heartbreak in his future, much less death. He closes his eyes again and sighs, turning away from the enticing forest.

 

There’s a rustle in the grass. Mitch opens one eye and sees Mo huff as he reaches him in the grass, shaking out a blanket and resting the food they had bought on top of it. Jake is carrying the basket of strawberries that he bought and abandoned, an amused smirk on his face. 

 

Mitch quickly closes his eyes again and stretches. Mo pulls his shirt down and plops down, rustling the grass around them. Mitch squawks and bats Mo’s hands away and pulls his shirt down himself, quickly sitting up and glaring at him. Jake’s laugh is silent as he sits down behind Mo and pulls him back into his lap. 

 

“You guys are gross,” Mitch deadpans, completely joking. He reaches for a strawberry. 

 

“Yeah, well, I could say the same about you,” Mo shoots back, looking relaxed and comfortable in Jake’s embrace. 

 

“That’s rude,” Mitch observes lazily, still working on his strawberry. Jake snorts, currently swaying side to side with Mo. 

 

“You’re rude,” Jake says with the creativity of a five-year-old. Mitch scowls. He knows there’s no way to win against Jake with snippy comments. 

 

Mitch sighs, “just do it already. Rub it in my face, whatever.” He falls back soundly and picks out a pink cinquefoil in the grass. He twirls it in his hands, a beautiful contrast against the baby blue sky. He leans up just in time to see Jake press a quick kiss to Mo’s cheek before pulling him up. 

 

Mitch rolls over on his stomach with a grunt and holds up his head with his hands. Mo is laughing in the distance in front of him as Jake tries to gather him into a specific position. There’s a smile on Jake’s face as he talks to Mo; it’s fond and full of love. Mo quickly gets pulled into a waltz. He’s amused, almost tripping over himself in laughter. Jake attempts to twirl Mo who somehow gets caught up in Jake’s arms. There’s a huge grin on both their faces as they stare into each other’s eyes. Jake presses a quick kiss on Mo’s lips before twirling him back into the waltz. 

 

Mitch can only watch a few more seconds before he feels like he’s intruding on something. Mo and Jake are so engrossed in each other. It seems perfect. Maybe someday Mitch would get his person just like Mo and Jake. He shifts onto his back again, pulling up a daisy this time. He looks for another and pulls it out too, threading the stems together. He’s making a crown. Mitch gets two done before he falls asleep trying to make a third one for himself. 

 

He’s shaken awake by Mo. He comes to with a jolt, accidentally crushing one of the daisy crowns he’s made. He gasps aloud, holding it up with a frown. 

 

“What’s that?” Jake asks, lying down next to Mitch.

 

“It’s supposed to be a daisy chain,” Mitch starts, “but I just crushed it. I made two and now there’s only one.” 

 

“Two, huh?” Mo asks as he lies down on the other side of Mitch. 

 

“Yeah,” Mitch sighs and holds up the other crown. “I was trying to make three but I guess I fell asleep. One for each of us.” 

 

Mo laughs gently, “well, how about you keep that one for yourself then?”

 

“But what about you guys?” Mitch pouts, unhappy with Mo’s suggestion. 

 

Jake pats Mitch on the head gently. “We’re not as pretty as you, Mitchy.” 

 

Mitch shakes his head in disagreement as Mo takes the daisy crown away from him and places it on his head. Mitch feels it sliding off and corrects it with a quick hand to his hair and a grimace. 

 

Jake laughs and rolls away from Mitch, no doubt making fun of his face. There’s a pout on Mitch’s face again. 

 

“Mo,” he complains. “Your husband is making fun of me again.” The laughter stops as Mo’s neck flushes. There’s a sharp slap to his arm by Mo as Mitch smiles slyly. 

 

“What?” he asks. 

 

“Mitch, you little brat,” Mo groans and pushes Mitch away from him. 

 

He shrugs and smiles, “just telling the truth.” 

  
  
  


***

  
  
  


There’s something to be said about beautiful things. Auston thinks all beautiful things are attainable. Like the boy in the meadow. He’s pretty, Auston can’t deny that. There’s an air of innocent kindness surrounding him, a halo of purity and sweetness. His blue eyes are framed by long eyelashes, adding to his angelic nature. The flowy white tunic he’s wearing highlights his figure, broad shoulders and tiny waist. The fabric looks silky, but Auston knows it’s not, and the black ribbons holding the shirt together tempts him.  The boy is also wearing a flower crown with white daisies. It suits him. 

 

His mouth is pink and large when he laughs, teeth white when he smiles. There are beauty marks dotting his pale skin, Auston would like to find out if there are more underneath his clothes. 

 

The two men accompanying him seem to be wonderful to him. They laugh with him, encourage him. They seem to be having a lot of fun.

 

This is something Auston has to have.

 

Auston can imagine pretty blue eyes staring up at him, cheeks flushed and eyelashes fluttering. He can imagine the boy’s glittering smile, directed at him. Auston wonders, what would his voice sound like? His laugh? 

 

Auston needs to know. 

 

“What are you doing?” Kappy huffs, smacking Auston on the back with the butt of his own sword. Auston turns from the bush he’s hiding behind and stares at him in disbelief. 

 

“Did you just hit me with my own sword?”

 

“You know,” Kappy starts, ignoring Auston’s question, “as your squire, my job is literally  to  _ help _ you.”

 

“And hitting me with my own sword is helping,” Auston deadpans with an unimpressed look. 

 

“If it gets you away from creeping out on some guy, then yes,” Kappy states definitively.  He taps the blade on Auston’s thighs, trying to get Auston to hold his own sword. Auston grabs it with a huff, reattaching it to his belt. He’s walking away from the forest when Kappy gets up in his business. 

 

“What are you doing?” Kappy demands, following close behind Auston. 

 

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Auston shoots back, not slowing down.

 

Kappy is about to scream. “What does it look like you’re doing? Are you kidding? Just outright say it, man.”

 

“I’m going to go talk to that boy,” Auston states with an annoyed edge to his tone. 

 

“You’re going to talk to that boy? You can’t do that!” Kappy exclaims, running in front of Auston with an exasperated look and stopping him.

 

Auston scoffs with his arms crossed, “I can do what I want.” 

 

“You’re fucking betrothed! How are you going to go talk to that boy?” Kappy is turning red. He looks kind of funny with that adding on to his messy hair. 

 

“It doesn’t matter, I’m not going to be  _ Auston Matthews _ in front of him,” Auston says, stepping aside from Kappy and continuing on forwards. 

 

There’s a sour look on Kappy’s face. “And how are you going to do that? You’re the prince.”

 

“I’ll just pretend to be someone else,” Auston says easily. He knows that neither he nor his family has visited this village before. Today was his first time coming to this village and he hadn’t even met anyone living here yet. 

 

“You can’t just pretend to be someone else! You’ll fuck with everyone’s emotions!” 

 

There’s a grain of truth to Kappy’s words. Auston knows. But the boy is tempting and Auston isn’t going to cause anyone pain. He’ll have a whirlwind romance that will sweep the boy off his feet and leave within a few days. It’ll be fun. Liselotte doesn’t need to know. 

 

“Well, if you help me, maybe I won’t fuck with anyone’s emotions,” Auston suggests. 

 

“That is a  _ terrible _ idea.” 

 

“Everything is a terrible idea to you,” Auston dismisses, picking up a few flowers at the edge of the forest path and twirling them in his hands.

 

There’s an incredulous look on Kappy’s face. 

 

“Something’s going to go bad,” Kappy says ominously. “You better be prepared when it happens.” 

 

The twigs and leaves snap under Auston’s feet, crackling in the background. Auston smirks back at Kappy. Nothing ever goes bad for him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mitch?” JT says, finally reaching them. He’s carrying a shotgun in his hands, presumably coming back from a hunt.
> 
> Mitch smiles, syrupy sweet, “John, what a surprise. I didn’t know you were out hunting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i actually dont know what im writing anymore.
> 
> lol, have fun everyone!

“You’ve been doing okay recently?” Willy asks as he grabs Mitch by the arm and drags him out of the doorway of his house. 

 

Mitch stumbles a little over the uneven cobblestones, grabbing onto Willy so he doesn’t fall flat on his face. He sighs, “I’m great. Have you been listening to Mo again? Well, don’t listen to him.”

 

“I really haven’t,” Willy stares. He lets go of Mitch and stops, scrunching up his face as he ponders that statement. “Wait, should I?”

 

Mitch groans, stopping too before tugging Willy along. “No,” he says adamantly, crossing his arms and looking toward the sky for guidance. 

 

“I don’t want to, like, make anything worse,” Willy frowns. 

 

“You’ve known me since I was two. If you were gonna kill me, you probably would’ve done so then,” Mitch says nonchalantly. He looks down at the list his mother gave to him then tucks it back into his apron pocket. 

 

“That’s mean,” Willy says, bumping Mitch with his hip. Mitch retaliates by throwing his basket on Willy’s head. He’s snickering at the squeals Willy lets out, throwing the basket straight at Mitch in return and almost hitting him square in the face.

 

“You messed up my hair!” is Willy’s first complaint as soon as the basket is gone. 

 

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Mitch laughs, securing his basket on his arm and picking up the one Willy dropped. 

 

“My hair is no laughing matter!” Willy says indignantly, swiping his own basket from Mitch. 

 

Mitch holds his hands up in surrender, stifling his laughter with a cough. He kicks a stray stone on the street that catches Willy’s feet several times. 

 

“You know, Mo and Jake really need to get married,” Mitch says, holding his basket above his head with a stretch. 

 

“They really should,” Willy agrees, still messing with his hair. “It’s been, what, four or five years?”

 

“No, no,” Mitch shakes his head. “It’s been six! Remember how Jake got Mo that anniversary present? And he made that pun with six and sex?”

 

Willy groans, “well, it wasn’t really a present, was it? I remember now. ‘Since it’s our sex year anniversary, I thought I’d give you something special. A lap dance.’” 

 

“You gotta admit,” Mitch nods, “it was  _ hilarious _ .”

 

“Yeah, it was,” Willy says, “until Mo actually got a boner over it.” 

 

“Well, I mean…” Mitch shrugs, sauntering along. There’s a disbelieving look on Willy’s face. 

“I’m just saying!” Mitch sputters in defence. He’s surprised at how much muscle Jake has.

 

Willy scoffs, “you really need to get out more, huh?”

 

“Shut up,” Mitch says and rolls his eyes. It’s not like he could get out more even if he wanted to. He had to beg his mother to let him buy food for their daily meals, or else he wouldn’t have been able to see Willy. 

 

“I mean, John’s pretty into you,” Willy says. He wags his eyebrows with a sly grin. 

 

Mitch cringes and shivers at the mention of John Tavares. There isn’t anything wrong with JT, he’s just a bit… boring in Mitch’s opinion. Even though his mother already treats him like another son, Mitch just doesn’t see any appeal in him. There is the advantage of John being the head hunter — Mitch and his mother would never have to go hungry. But then, would he want his husband to always be in some kind of danger? Not that Mitch wants to hold anyone from doing what they love. He isn’t really into hunting anyways.

 

“I’m not into him, though,” Mitch shoots back, walking to the fountain in the middle of the town square and sitting on the edge. He rests his basket on the ground, thinking about the order of stalls he wanted to visit. 

 

Willy sits down heavily beside him, cupping a handful of water and flicking it toward Mitch. It hits him in the chest, soaking his clothes tight to his skin. Mitch slaps Willy in the arm, hoping it leaves a pink handprint behind. Willy huffs, “he’s not that bad looking.”

 

“That doesn’t matter,” Mitch says stubbornly. He doesn’t want JT and he probably never will. “I want someone… less boring?”

 

Willy laughs loudly at the statement, drawing the attention of a few villagers, and slaps his knee viciously. Mitch tsks, nudging Willy firmly. The laughing fit lasts a few more seconds, bringing further embarrassment to Mitch as it goes on. 

 

“The man literally hunts beasts for a living! Next to Sparks, he’s the definition of wild,” Willy scoffs, tossing his hair back with a flourish.

 

“You know what I mean, Will,” Mitch sighs, flicking Willy in the forehead. He looks down at his hands and fiddles with his apron. “He has the personality of a rock. You can’t deny that.”

 

“Well, I’m just saying, it would be a smart choice.” There’s a look of wide-eyed surrender on Willy’s face.

 

Mitch understands it would be a smart choice. He knows he’s supposed to make the  _ smart _ decisions in life, with his weak heart the way it is. But he just wants to have fun, to have  _ adventures _ . It doesn’t matter who he marries, but John would  _ never _ let him do anything crazy. Which is why his mother likes him so much. 

 

“Well, why don’t you just marry Zach then!” Mitch counters. “That’s also a smart choice.”

 

Willy deflates, sighing, “it’s just not a fit.” He’s frowning, a genuinely sad look on his face. Mitch knows when not to push Will, and now’s one of those times. Zach has been a tough topic for Willy as of late. He nudges Will, gently this time, and wraps an arm around him. The layers of his dress rustle quietly from his delicate movements. 

 

“Hey,” Mitch says softly, “I know you guys are technically still good, but you’re a great guy, Will. So is Zach, but sometimes people just don’t work out. I’m sorry for bringing it up.” Mitch ducks his head quickly. He feels bad for having caused Willy pain. 

 

“It’s okay,” Willy smiles tightly. “I’m just glad he’s still my friend.” 

 

Mitch squeezes Willy’s arm amiably, getting up from the cool stone of the fountain. He pulls Willy up by his clasped hands, grinning in return. Mitch wants to say more about the subject, but there isn’t anything he could do to make anything better.

 

They wander up and down the vendors’ streets, mingling with friends and familiar townsfolk alike. Willy gets a few kisses on the cheek for being so blatantly flirty and bold while Mitch shies away from contact than the clasp of a hand. The boldest boy they meet, a friend of Mo’s visiting from another village, gets to kiss Mitch’s hand. It makes him blush fiercely and turn away from the boy quickly. Willy cackles like a hyena in the background, uncaring to what other people think. The blush only grew as Mitch curtsied in reply and left with a snickering Willy. If Mitch wanted a quiet day, then today certainly wasn’t going to adhere to his desires. 

 

Then, it all happens when they visit the flower shop. 

 

They’d already taken care of most of the items on their lists before deciding to take a quick break to look at the flowers. Willy’s already caught up in the hyacinths, infatuated with them ever since he was a child. Mitch takes his time perusing a variety of flowers — daisies, anemones, gardenias, peonies, he could go on. He’s trying to smell one of the white lilies when the bangs and laughter coming from the direction of the blacksmith are too loud for him to ignore.

 

Mitch straightens up, turning his head delicately to his left with a curious look. He taps Willy absentmindedly on the shoulder as he drifts closer to the crowd clustering in front of the shop. He hears Willy’s shoes hitting the cobblestone in distinctive clacks, he’s memorized the sound of Willy’s walk a long time ago. 

 

“What’s happening?” Willy asks, voice breathless. Mitch hopes it’s partly due to wonder and excitement and not because Willy hasn’t been exercising. 

 

“I don’t know,” Mitch hums, “let’s go find out.” He runs forward before Willy can reply and loiters at the edge of the big group. He finds Andreas in a position where he can actually reach, deciding to drag Willy along to ask him what’s going on.

 

“Hey, Johnny!” Mitch greets with a smile, careful not to get in the way of anyone in the crowd. “What’s going on?” There isn’t much he can see of the centre of the circle. It ’s quite mysterious. 

 

“Oh, there are two new people here!” Andreas says with wide eyes, nodding his head toward the centre where everyone is accumulating around.

 

“New… people?” Mitch mumbles, exchanging an inquisitive look with Willy. There seems to be some apprehension on Willy’s face as he leans back, away from the ongoing conversation. 

 

“Yeah! Two men. They seem interesting,” Andreas offers, moving aside to let Mitch and Willy inch closer to the two foreign visitors. 

 

Mitch presses Willy forward in front of him in an effort to shield himself from any danger. There’s always a probability of something going awry. He stands on his tiptoes with his hands resting on Willy’s shoulders. He tries to jump so he can see over all the people surrounding these two strangers. He catches glimpses of dark tanned skin and tousled black-brown hair. There’s a flash of another man with pink lips and wavy brown hair. 

 

“Do you see anything?” he whispers into Willy’s ear, hooking his head over his shoulders.

 

“Not really,” Willy mumbles back, shifting and craning his neck to get an optimal view. 

 

Mitch huffs, pushing Willy forward through the crowd. Willy elbows him in the stomach to show his disapproval at the action. Mitch coughs and elbows him back. 

 

But there’s no denying that at this vantage point, it’s way easier to see what the clamour is about. The two men are handsome, he’ll give them that, but Mitch isn’t one to judge someone based on their looks. He’s more intrigued by the taller man with the darker hair. There’s something in his smile that makes Mitch’s heartbeat a little faster. It’s fascinating; the way his face displays different quirks present in each emotion. He’s talking to a little boy, Cody of the glass family. He looks wholly intrigued. Mitch hums, turning Willy around to face him. 

 

“Interesting,” Mitch says, tugging Willy away from the scene. His curiosity has been settled, for now. He apologizes to a few people as he tries to escape the mass of people still gathered around the men. 

 

“I guess so,” Willy says. He picks up their baskets from where they left them at the flower shop and hands Mitch’s to him. They both give a quick smile to the store owner before setting off home.

 

“What? Not excited about new people in town?” Mitch asks, skipping along the streets with a wide grin. 

 

“Not  _ not _ excited,” Willy starts. 

 

“The shorter guy looks like your type,” Mitch offers and shrugs his shoulders.

 

Willy scoffs and swings his basket at Mitch, “it’s time to stop, Mitchell.”

 

***

 

“Are you sure about this?” Kappy says as he catches up to Auston. They had changed out of the more luxurious fabrics they usually wore and into something they would wear for hunting. 

 

“What? You nervous?” Auston smirks, nudging Kappy with an elbow. 

 

“I mean, you could potentially destroy this whole town,” Kasperi sighs. Auston hums. He’s not wrong. 

 

Auston has a certain amount of power that he isn’t afraid to use. But he’s sure he doesn’t want to do damage to anything here.

 

“But I won’t, I promise,” Auston says. “Just remember, we’re here to attract attention today. That’s it.” 

 

“I hate every part of this,” Kappy states with a blank look. 

 

“That’s the spirit, bud,” Auston smiles with a pat on Kappy’s shoulder. 

 

Within fifteen minutes of setting foot into the town square, there’s a sizable crowd gathered around them. It’s quite encouraging. Auston’s glad everyone likes him but he’s not surprised. He lets the charm roll out, talking to anyone who’s willing to hold a conversation. Kappy is grumpy beside him at first, but when the kids come out, his mood turns a one-eighty. Auston keeps his laugh light and his smile bright. Women and men flirt with him, their touches fleeting as they brush a hand over his biceps. He doesn’t engage them. His only goal is the boy in the meadow.

 

He’s talking to little Cody about the boys in his school when he catches a glimpse of white lace and blue ribbon trim. It’s him.

 

He nudges Kappy and points his head toward the boy’s direction. Kappy is shaking his head already, a gigantic frown of dissent on his face. Auston says a few words of advice to Cody before he’s off. Kappy is shouting behind him, but Auston doesn’t care.

 

He catches the boy turning around the corner toward the fountain. He’s with another man. Auston doesn’t know what their relationship is, but by the looks of their snipping bickering, Auston doesn’t think they’re together.

 

He’s got a chance.

***

 

Mitch arrives home a little later than he expects. His mother is droning on about his health and how concerned she is when he stays out late. She’s particularly stressed about it today because John is visiting. Mitch sighs. 

 

“Are you still wearing the dress with the apron?” his mother asks from the kitchen, already working on some type of stew for supper. 

 

“Yeah,” Mitch responds, setting his basket on the wooden table. “It’s my favourite one.”

 

“Why don’t you change into the new one I got you? The white one with orange detailing?” she says and looks up at Mitch from chopping meat. 

 

“It’s not as flowy,” Mitch hesitates. He doesn’t like arguing with his mother, but he’s particular about his clothes. He likes the dress he’s wearing. It’s white and blue, ribbons and lace running along the hem of the dress with an apron that’s multi-functional. It’s pretty and practical at the same time. 

 

“Oh, Mitch,” his mother sighs, turning toward him this time. “John is coming, remember? You want to make a good impression.” 

 

Mitch frowns, but nods. He’s trudging toward his room when there’s a knock on the door. He stops in his tracks, tilting his head in his mother’s direction. 

 

“Go get the door, Mitch!” she yells from the kitchen. “But I don’t think it’s John.” 

 

Mitch breathes in relief, running toward the door with a certain hope. Anything to get him out of the house again. 

 

He opens the door to nothing. There’s no one there. He furrows his brow, stepping outside. He checks around his house, peeking in all directions. He still doesn’t see anyone. 

 

“Who is it?” his mother’s voice echoes from inside the cabin. Ah, shit. Mitch doesn’t want to go inside again. 

 

“Uh, it’s Willy,” he says back. “He needs me to go with him somewhere, it won’t take too long.” Mitch crosses his fingers, hoping it works. He doesn’t want to lie to his mother but he also doesn’t want to have dinner with  _ John _ . 

 

“But John’s coming soon!” his mother responds. He hears footsteps coming and scrambles to close the front door. 

 

“It’ll only take an hour! I’ll be back to see John!” Mitch yells, hurrying away from his house. 

 

After successfully avoiding his mother, Mitch decides to go to the place he loves. The meadow.

 

***

 

Auston follows the boy to his house. It’s creepy, he knows this. But how else was he supposed to get a chance to talk to him alone?

 

He stands outside the quaint cabin for a while. It’s wooden and has a homey feeling to it. Auston doesn’t know that feeling in the vast, marble palace that he calls home. It’s rather cold and elegant than the warm and rustic vibes he gets from here. Auston doesn’t want to go back.

 

He takes a deep breath, psyching himself up to knock on the door. He clears his throat and brushes a hand through his hair. He quickly checks his surroundings to make sure there aren’t any stragglers that see him there.

 

He reaches out and knocks on the door with a tentative hand. He stands there waiting for a response. He hears the patter of feet running. And he panics. 

 

_ Shit _ , he thinks to himself as he runs to hide behind the house. He’s out of breath and his heart rate is high. He feels like an idiot. 

 

There’s a conversation going on between the boy and, perhaps, his mother. Auston can’t make out much of it but he does hear the word “John” quite often. Immediately he feels his jaw tighten and muscles tense. He doesn’t think the boy’s name is John. It feels like the name of a competitor. 

 

The voices stop with the slam of a door. Auston peeks from his spot behind the house and sees the boy leaving. He decides to follow him, it’s not the worst possible idea he’s had.

 

Auston tracks the boy down to the flowery meadow where he first had a glimpse of him. It seems like a soothing spot for him. It fascinates Auston a little bit more. He’s still wearing the dress from earlier today. The rich blue of the bodice and ribbons remind Auston of his kingdom colours. It seems like the boy is made for him. 

 

It feels like a dream when he starts dancing. Auston can’t look away. There’s gracefulness in the way the boy moves, but there isn’t any lack of emotion. The boy closes his eyes with a beaming smile, lifting his head toward the sun. It’s beautiful. There’s no other word to describe it.

 

This boy has to be his.

 

***

 

Mitch feels a tugging on his heart before black dots are swirling in his vision. He huffs, slowly sitting down, and breathes in deeply. Okay, so maybe that was too much exertion for one day. The ground swirls around him as he lays down and tries to regain his senses. He breathes through the tightness in his chest and sighs. 

 

It feels like a decade has passed when he opens his eyes to the bright glare of the sun. He still feels tired, like his arms and legs have turned into stone. Mitch thinks he’ll be alright in ten minutes.

 

He closes his eyes again — maybe he’ll take a quick nap — but hears the soft shifting of grass. His eyes flit open and he turns his head to the left where the noise is coming from.  There’s the taller man from the morning, walking toward Mitch with a tiny grin. He’s coming from the forest.

 

Oh shit, Mitch thinks and tries to regain his breath. He sits up as quick as he can in an effort to not embarrass himself. But then, he remembers his dancing a few minutes ago and he realizes that he’s probably already embarrassed himself. Despite his heart acting up only a short while ago, he can feel the blood rushing to his cheeks. He must also look like a mess, with his dishevelled hair and rumpled skirts.  

 

He’s still smoothing down his dress when he feels the air shift beside him from the man sitting down. He stiffens and tries to turn toward him naturally. The first thing Mitch notices about the man up-close is that he’s big. The second thing is that he’s very hot. Mitch is going to  _ die _ . 

 

“Why’d you stop dancing?” is the first thing out of the man’s mouth. Mitch sighs internally and berates himself for already screwing up the chance he had with the man. 

 

“Um, health issues,” Mitch says shakily and stares into the man’s eyes with a mild smile. 

 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” the man says as his eyes widen in sympathy and surprise.

 

“No, no, you’re fine,” Mitch smiles, “it’s not a big deal.”

 

“Are you sure?” the man asks. He’s already worried, yet he doesn’t even know Mitch. Mitch feels himself blush at the sentiment.

 

“Yeah, yeah,” he laughs. “Honestly, I feel great.” There’s a quiet pause. “So, um, you’re new around town, right?”

 

“I am. Just arrived today.” The man smiles widely at Mitch. His perfect teeth are on display. Mitch wants to knock himself out before this flawless person.

 

“Oh, where are you from?” Mitch asks with curiosity.

 

“It’s pretty far, I don’t think you’ll know the place,” the man says with a sad frown. Mitch decides to not touch that subject with a ten-foot pole. 

 

“So, what made you travel so far then?”

 

The man beams again, “my friend really wanted to visit the neighbouring kingdom that’s reigned by the Matthews. He has a crush on one of the servants there, but don’t tell him I told you this.” Mitch laughs a little. 

 

“Oh, your friend that was with you this morning?” Mitch says with a mischevious grin. “He’s very handsome, I think my friend would like him.”

 

The man smirks, “oh yeah? He’s got a thing for blondes that have questionable intellects.”

 

Mitch lights up and says with passion, “dude! That’s totally my friend! Wow, they’re really meant to be, huh?”

 

The man laughs and Mitch wants to hear the sound for the rest of his life. “Yeah,” he says, “we gotta set them up someday.”

 

“Yeah,” Mitch echoes softly and smiles. He picks one of the flowers at his side, a yellow chrysanthemum. He’s staring at the petals and plucks one off. He smiles softly at the man and says, “he loves me not.” He picks off another petal. “He loves me.” He frowns at the next one, “he loves me not.” 

 

The man steals the flower from him with a smile and picks off all the petals at once, “he loves you.” 

 

Mitch laughs and nudges him with his body, sprawling toward him with a languid smile. 

 

The man laughs in return. “I never got your name.” 

 

“It’s Mitch,” Mitch beams, “Mitch Marner. What about yours?”

 

“Call me Matts or Matty,” the man, Matts, smiles. 

 

Mitch grins, “Matts or Matty, huh? No last name?” 

 

“Nope,” Matts smiles and nudges Mitch back. 

 

“Well, Matts or Matty with no last name,” Mitch says all matter of factly, “it’s very nice to meet you.”

 

“I could say the same, Mitch with the last name Marner.” Matts is still beaming down at him and Mitch giggles at the absurdity of their words. This is probably how Jake and Mo feel around each other all the time.

 

Mitch stands up suddenly and reaches for Matts’s hand. “Come with me, I want to show you something.” 

 

Matts chuckles and reaches for Mitch’s hand. It’s a bit shocking how warm and big Auston’s hands are — Mitch’s hands are always cold. He leads Auston to the waterfall, still holding onto his hand. He walks further from the mouth of the waterfall, where the water is calm and gentle. There are water lilies there, some of the prettiest Mitch has ever seen. 

 

“Look,” Mitch says. “Aren’t they beautiful?” There’s a tender smile on Mitch’s face as he turns back to Matts. Mitch would love to take one home but there isn’t any space where they could grow. 

 

“They are,” Matts says, looking straight into Mitch’s eyes. He squeezes Mitch’s hand a little and Mitch feels his heart jump. 

 

Matts leads them to sit beside the water, with their feet submerged under the refreshing water. It’s fun, talking to Matty. The conversation is light and airy with humour. There’s the discussion of freedom, where Matts wanted to explore and try new things. Mitch wholeheartedly agrees and wishes he could be more like Matts.

 

“Dance with me,” Matts says determinedly. 

 

“What?” Mitch says stupidly, stunned at the sudden change in topic. 

 

“You like to dance right? Dance with me.” 

 

“But… I don’t know how to dance with someone else,” Mitch frowns. He feels a little out of his depth. 

 

“I’ll teach you,” Matty smiles. “We can start with the waltz, that’s usually simple enough.”

 

Matts offers Mitch his hand with a flourish. Mitch accepts hesitantly, getting pulled to his feet suddenly. He yelps as water splashes around them and onto their clothes. He falls into Matty’s arms. Mitch huffs and steps away from him with a glare. 

 

Matts stifles a laugh and offers his hand in an invitation to dance. Mitch accepts with faux indignation and gets pulled toward Matty again. They’re barely inches apart, with Matty’s arm slung across Mitch’s waist as Mitch grips Matty’s shoulders tight. 

 

Mitch has to stare up into Matty’s eyes and it feels too intimate. Mitch ducks his head, trying to hide his recurrent blush. 

 

“Follow my lead,” Matts says softly and steps forward with his right foot. Mitch gasps a little as he almost stumbles and falls again. Matts only chuckles as he grips Mitch’s waist tighter. Mitch enjoys it. 

 

After a few minutes of stumbling around while Matts tries to teach him how to waltz, Mitch thinks he’s finally got the hang of it. It’s surprising, how only a few days ago he was admiring Jake and Mo doing the exact same thing. 

 

Dancing with Matts is refreshing. Mitch hasn’t really ever danced with a partner, except for maybe Willy, which didn’t count. This is a genuine duet between two people while Mitch has only had experience with comic parodies of anything authentic. There’s something tangible within the ordeal, despite the tame nature of the style of dance. It’s slow and lingering instead of quick and explosive, but Mitch still feels something growing between them.

 

Matts stares down at him with a kind of reverence that Mitch hasn’t ever experienced before, it heats him from the inside out. They’re gradually getting closer and closer, personal space melding together. Mitch catches himself staring at Matty’s lips, and he knows that Matts notices the action. His eyes flick up to meet Matty’s, and he smiles. 

 

Matty snorts, before saying, “here, let me twirl you.”

 

“What? No, I’ll get dizzy,” Mitch says. 

 

“Come on, Mitchy,” Matts smiles, still leading them around the meadow. Mitch’s skirts flutter at their feet as Matts turns them in a particularly wide arc.

 

“You have to catch me if I fall,” Mitch demands. 

 

Matts agrees, “okay.”

 

And then he’s only holding onto one of Matty’s hands, spinning around as his dress flies up around them. Mitch laughs as Matts keeps going after a few turns and tugs his hand out of Matty’s. He deliberately falls against Matty’s chest, both hands resting upon it. He stares up toward Matts again, fluttering his eyelashes a little. He pecks Matty quickly on the cheek, smiling as he twists away from him. 

 

Mitch flops down onto the grass with a laugh, expecting Matts to follow him. Matts is there within a few seconds, pulling Mitch toward him on the grass. Mitch snorts and pinches Matty, who yelps with a scowl. Mitch is about to brush some hair from Matty’s eyes when he hears footsteps trudging from the forest. He shoots up worriedly. Oh fuck. 

 

It’s John. 

 

Mitch sighs and turns to look at Matts. “Please don’t say anything before I do,” Mitch whispers, knowing that JT would be rushing toward them angrily. 

 

“Mitch?” JT says, finally reaching them. He’s carrying a shotgun in his hands, presumably coming back from a hunt. 

 

Mitch smiles, syrupy sweet, “John, what a surprise. I didn’t know you were out hunting.” Matts sits up slowly, a slight furrow in his brow. 

 

“Just a few rabbits, nothing special today,” John replies in his gruff tone. “What are you doing out here? With a stranger nonetheless.” Matts tenses as his countenance grows hostile.

 

Mitch grits his teeth internally and says instead, “oh, Matty? He’s a friend. We’re just hanging out before I have to go home.” 

 

“I guess you’re ready for our dinner, then. I’m glad you find me to be an acceptable suitor,” John says with a smile, anger hidden behind cold eyes.

 

“What?” Mitch says, stupefied. “I never said anything about courting.” 

 

“Then what’s the dinner for tonight?” John jeers with a smirk. 

 

Mitch shakes his head, “my mother just told me we were having dinner. That’s it.” 

 

“Well, you still agreed to it, Mitch,” JT says, slinging his shotgun on his shoulder. 

 

Mitch falls silent. “ Then I don’t think I want to keep my agreement anymore.” 

 

“What?” JT says in disbelief. “Mitch, are you joking?” He moves toward Mitch with menace within his body and Mitch frowns. 

 

“Hey,” Matts finally speaks up, getting to his feet. “He doesn’t want to have dinner with you anymore, give it a rest.” 

 

John diverts his attention to Matts with a snort. He treats Matts with the disdain he would have toward lowly rats that feast upon rotten waste in the shops. 

 

“Who are you to say? This doesn’t involve you,” JT dismisses. 

 

Matts squares up with a heated glare toward John. “He said he didn’t want to keep his agreement anymore. Unless you want to go against Mitch’s will? That doesn’t sound like a very good suitor.” 

 

JT scowls and says, “if that’s how you feel Mitch, I won’t bother you any longer. But there’s always next time.” 

 

Mitch is tense until JT leaves, his heart in his throat as he tries to calm down from the adrenaline rush. He lets out a big breath and turns to Matts.

 

“Thank you,” he says with a weak smile. “I’m glad you did that for me.”

 

“He seems like a dick,” Matts deadpans with an unimpressed glance in the direction JT left in.

 

Mitch laughs, “I don’t know, man. I’m just glad there’s no dinner tonight.” Mitch’s face turns sour. “Shit, my mom’s going to  _ kill _ me.”

 

Matts frowns. “Why?”

 

“She’s the one who set this whole thing up, I guess,” Mitch sighs. “It’s okay, I just won’t be able to go out for a week.”

 

“What? No, I have to see you again,” Matts says with vehemence. 

 

Mitch smiles up at Matts, eyes crinkling, “come by sometimes. Walk me home today, maybe my mom will let me go out with you more.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Matty says with a smirk. 

 

Mitch huffs and shoves at Matts. “Fine then, don’t come. See if I care.”

 

Matts laughs and rubs at Mitch’s arms, pulling him into a side-hug. “I’ll always follow you, Mitchy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as you can see, i have a bias towards jt. it isnt a good bias either. but no, i think hes a great person irl, im not saying hes like this irl too lol. 
> 
> (mitch wearing dresses because i went crazy on tumblr and someone actually photoshopped mitch in a dress for me. like, yeah, im going there.)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So you do have something other than that pretty face of yours,” Kappy says with a piercing look. There’s a defiant glint in Willy’s stare back. There’s a challenge between the two that is competitive in an intimate nature, Mitch feels like he’s intruding.
> 
> Willy scoffs and smoothes his hair back, tracking the way Kappy’s eyes follow the movement of his hand. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yikes this took me a LONG time. but at least its finally over. things will be fun after this. :)

Mitch gets away with eternal penitentiary in his house mainly due to his mother’s guilt. There’s an uncomfortable grimace behind her face when she explains why it was necessary for her to disguise the true extent of John’s request. Mitch doesn’t understand. There’s nothing but lies within her words -- lies that he’s used to hearing. He’s heard the spiel for countless times, yet it seems that this is the first time that everything clicked inside his mind.  

 

It’s hard to feel anything objectively after that confrontation. Mitch was expecting to beg his mother for days and nights to let him out of her sight, but instead, he’s holding his own anger back.

 

There are things he’d like to say to her, mean things that he’s ashamed of even thinking about in the first place. It’s too much sometimes -- the desire that she has to give Mitch a safe and steady life. It’s as if she thinks she burdened him at birth with the predicament of weak health. It’s like she made a mistake that needs fixing.

 

Mitch gets it sometimes, but he doesn’t like it. He’s never resented his mother for giving him _life_ . And he never will. He wishes she could understand him and his views. Mitch doesn’t care about the perils that life brings to him as long as he gets to _live_.

 

But it’s fine. Fighting with his mother is fine, even if guilt is rather a prominent part of his argument. He’s the one who gets to spend time with Matts and fool around with Willy without resting at home for a week before.

 

“You don’t have to look at me like that, mom,” Mitch sighs as he grabs some money he earned when he helped Jake bake pies. Jake and Mo are the owners of their own fruit orchard. It had been harvest season, and Mitch had wanted to help Jake pick apples. But by the time his mother agreed to let him go, the apples were all in their baskets and the only ones left outside were rotting in the ground.

 

“I’m not looking at you in any way, Mitch,” his mom responds as she pretends to eye the unlit fireplace. She’s mending one of her aprons while glaring worriedly at Mitch every few seconds.

 

Mitch twists his mouth involuntarily in partial annoyance. He wonders if he should bring anything else for his trip out. He decides against it and smacks a quiet kiss on his mother’s cheek.

 

“I’ll see you later,” he says as a knock rings out from the door.

 

His mother purses her lips after a quick stroke of his face. “John is still waiting for you, Mitch.”

 

Mitch’s lips thin out into a line as he opens the door and responds, “got it.”

 

“Thank God you’re here,” Mitch sighs in relief as he stumbles into Willy’s arms just outside of his house. There’s an amused smile in return as Willy squeezes him a little and pats him on the back.

 

“Can’t say I’ll ever be tired of hearing that,” Willy says with a bright and cocky grin, puffing his chest out.

 

“You are conceited, bud,” Mitch says jokingly as he tugs Willy along to the bakery.

 

“Slander, Mitchy,” Willy scoffs lazily as he tries to resist the force of Mitch pulling on him. “Where are you taking me anyway?”

 

Mitch can’t contain the smile that forces its way out onto his face. He tries to hide behind his normal expression but then he doesn’t really know what his normal expression is anymore. So he’s stuck in a loop of the corners of his mouth pulling up then down almost comically.

 

“Mitch, just stop,” Willy sighs. “You’re so obvious. You planned something stupid, didn’t you?”

 

“Uh, no,” Mitch lies with a look of disbelief on his face. “When do I ever do stupid things?”

 

Willy gives him a pointed look.

 

Okay, no. Technically, Mitch isn’t even  _allowed_ to do stupid things because of his mother. He has stupid ideas, sure, but isn’t ever able to act on them. And maybe that’s a good thing, or else he really would’ve been six feet under long ago.

 

“Shut up,” Mitch says, even though Willy hasn’t said anything. The only answer he gets in return is a shove.

 

“You tricked me,” is the first thing Willy says as they reach the vicinity of the bakery.

 

“I never said anything,” Mitch shakes his head. They’re far enough from the two men sitting at the table outside that they won’t hear what they’re talking about.

 

“You said Mo and Jake,” Willy accuses with a glare. “I thought you might’ve set up a prank or something _with_ them. But this? This is worse.”

 

Mitch laughs, “Will, how is this worse than me and Mo pranking you?”

 

“These people are pretentious,” Willy hisses, pointing towards the two men accusingly.

 

“They are not! You haven’t even met them yet!” Mitch scolds in response. “Plus, who are you to say they’re pretentious?”

 

Willy gasps, “are you saying I’m pretentious?”

 

“Willy,” Mitch deadpans. It’s _Will_ they’re talking about.

 

“Okay,” Will concedes, rubbing at the back of his neck with a hand. “I may be sort of pretentious sometimes, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t.”

 

Mitch shakes his head. “Matts is pretty cool.”

 

“Matts,” Willy repeats.

 

“Well, Matts or Matty, really,” Mitch lists steadily.

 

“That’s his first name?” Willy asks.

 

“Well, I dunno, that’s what he told me.”

 

Willy sighs, “and which one is that?”

 

“The bigger one,” Mitch says. “Now come on, I didn’t make them come here just so you could creep in the background because you’re too scared to talk to them.”

 

Willy scoffs, “I’m not scared to talk to anyone.”

 

Mitch snorts and sets off towards the two boys. “Then prove it.”

 

He plops down in front of Matts on the bench opposite to him and greets him and the other man with a wide grin.

 

“How are you guys?” Mitch asks.

 

“Good,” Matts smiles with a nudge to his companion.

 

“It’s been going well,” the other man says with a sulky face. Mitch raises an eyebrow at Matts who shakes his head slightly.

 

Willy interrupts them by settling heavily on the spot next to Mitch, in front of Matts’s friend that neither of them knows.

 

“Hey,” Willy nods, feigning nonchalance. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

 

Mitch wants to bury his head into the table, it’s so awkward already, but he settles for exchanging looks with Matts and the biggest shake of his head he can do in Willy’s direction while still being subtle. He probably looks stupid anyways.

 

“Well, Willy, meet Matts,” Mitch gestures towards the man in front of him with a smile.

 

“This is Kappy, and of course Mitch and Willy,” Matty beams, patting the man, Kappy, on the back with force.

 

Kappy looks like he’s in pain, Willy is trying to check his nails discreetly, and all Mitch wanted to do was to go set up Willy with Matty’s friend. It could be better, Mitch thinks. A lot better.

 

“So, Kappy,” Mitch says to break the stony silence, “why did you want to visit Ostston? Matts said something earlier but I don’t think it’s quite true.”

 

Kappy glares at Matts and says, “Oh really? Why don’t you tell us yourself, _Matts_?” Mitch is confused at Kappy’s tone.

 

“Just the truth, Kappy. I said that you were chasing after a servant in the Matthews’ Kingdom,” Matts smiles cheerfully. Mitch can see the veins under Kappy’s skin bulge. Mitch wonders if intervention is needed.

“You’ve gone way too far with this,” Kappy mutters under his breath. It makes Mitch giggle nervously. Maybe he shouldn’t have brought that up.

 

“Aw, it’s okay Kappy, everyone gets rejected,” Mitch says, hopefully, it sounds reassuring rather than rude. Mitch wants to bring Willy back into the conversation, but he doesn’t want to push him too hard.

 

Willy sighs, “yeah, man. Relationships are terrible.”

 

Kappy raises his eyebrows at Willy, glancing at him with a sliver of curiosity. “Oh, yeah? How so?”

 

Mitch bites his lip. This could go really bad if Willy gets provoked.

 

“Well, sometimes things don’t work out. And you want to hate the person, but you really can’t. Because they’re actually a decent person,” Willy says indifferently, staring at Kappy through his eyelashes with a laidback look.

 

Mitch feels his own eyebrows raise as he takes in the sudden tension that grows between Kappy and Willy. He looks at Matts again, _can you believe this?_ It doesn’t seem like Matts believes it either, judging from the shocked shake of his head that he gives Mitch.

 

“So you do have something other than that pretty face of yours,” Kappy says with a piercing look. There’s a defiant glint in Willy’s stare back. There’s a challenge between the two that is competitive in an intimate nature, Mitch feels like he’s intruding.

 

Willy scoffs and smoothes his hair back, tracking the way Kappy’s eyes follow the movement of his hand. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

 

His tone is taunting, Mitch can tell he’s intrigued. Kappy is so wholly different from Zach, yet he’s pulled Willy’s attention to him all the same. Mitch is kind of scared that Willy might just forget that he’s in public and completely maul Kappy.

 

“I think we’re all surprised,” Mitch jokes quietly, trying to bring the sexual tension down a notch. He gets an awkward laugh out of Matts. Kappy and Willy aren’t staring at each other with the previous intensity, but they definitely cannot take their eyes off of each other. Mitch is just glad that his and Matts’s plan kind of worked.

 

“Oh be quiet, Mitch,” Willy whines and slaps him on the arm. Mitch threatens to slap back when he hears a voice call his name out.

 

He turns around and is pleasantly surprised to see Mo and Jake. He waves at them with a big smile and beckons them to come over.

 

“What are you doing out so early?” Mo asks Mitch as he approaches the bakery in his easy tone. “And I see Willy’s and these gentlemen are with you.” Mo gives a little nod towards the rest of the group.

 

“It’s nice to see you too, Mo,” Mitch drawls and ignores Mo’s question. He gets a pat on the back from Jake in greeting and smiles back.

 

“Mind introducing us?” Jake raises an eyebrow.

 

Mitch makes a face before gesturing at each person. “Jake, Mo, meet Kappy and Matts.”

 

There’s a charming smile from Matts and a stoically reluctant wave from Kappy. Mo settles down to the right of Mitch where there’s space and pushes Mitch inwards towards Willy. Mitch yelps as Mo pushes hard enough to knock him into Willy and bump their heads together. Willy turns towards them with a scowl while Jake watches on in resignation.

 

“So, are you guys new here?” Mo says, leaning both arms on the wooden table. There’s another push in Mitch and Willy’s direction as Jake clambers on to the bench.

 

“Yeah,” Matts smiles, his pearly whites in full display.

 

Mo leans back with an arm around Jake and says, “just in time for the Harvest then. Quite fortunate.” There’s a nod from Jake as he winds his own arm around Mo’s waist. Willy eyes them with distrust as if they’re about to undress each other within the next second.

 

“The Harvest?” Matts questions with a quick glance in Mitch’s direction. Oh, yeah. Mitch might’ve forgotten to mention one of the town’s biggest festivals.

 

“The Harvest Festival is the actual name,” Willy pipes in. The only reason he’s interested in the event is that it’s a prime time to embarrass Mitch. “We celebrate the Harvest Season and someone is crowned Queen of the Harvest each year.”

 

“Oh,” Matts says. “Who?”

 

“Well,” Willy smirks, “someone who is kind and caring and gentle enough to bring fertility upon our grounds.” Mitch scowls and elbows Willy as Mo and Jake dissolve into laughter. Kappy looks mildly concerned while Matts is just confused.

 

“What’s so funny?” Matts asks, twidling with a splinter of wood from the table.

 

“The thing is that Mitch, here, has been crowned Harvest Queen for three straight years in a row,” Mo smiles, sharing a quick look with Jake.

 

“Can’t say I didn’t expect that,” Matts says with a hint of astonishment in his voice. Mitch feels his face begin to heat up.

 

“And Mitch is bound to be Harvest Queen again this year,” Willy smirks nonchalantly. There’s never a moment where Willy passes up the opportunity to bring pain and suffering to Mitch.

 

“Shut up, Nylander,” Mitch huffs, waving a hand in Willy’s direction as he props his head up using his other arm in annoyance.

 

“Aw, come on, Mitchy,” Mo says. “We love our Harvest Queen.”

 

Mitch just shakes his head and groans as Willy cackles beside him and Jake nods at him with sympathy.

 

There’s a sharp look of hidden intrigue in Matts’s eyes that doesn’t catch Mitch’s gaze. Kappy notices, sending a quick look of warning towards him that conveys his dissatisfaction. It doesn’t seem to deter Matts, only the opposite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel bad for kappy. poor dude.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Good job, Mitchy,” Babs says in his deep tone and grins at Mitch, placing the golden diadem braided with rich-coloured flowers of deep scarlet. It’s one of the valued possessions of the village, a small quantity of the little gold they have.
> 
> “Thanks, Babs,” Mitch smiles. This time, it’s real.

“He shouldn’t go,” are the first words out of his mother’s mouth when Willy steps into the cottage. Mitch tries not to say anything, tries not to react, but he can’t keep his eyes from rolling briefly. 

 

“Everyone should be going,” Willy smiles widely as Mitch closes the door behind him. He slumps down into a seat and Mitch slightly nudges him to move over so he can sit. 

 

“William,” his mother frowns, puttering around the kitchen for something to bring to the Harvest Festival. “You know how Mitch is like.”

 

Mitch turns his back to his mother and stares at Willy with wide-eyed disbelief.  _ You know how Mitch is like,  _ Mitch mimics with a scrunched up face. Willy snorts, trying to keep a straight face.

 

“Aren’t you going Ms. Marner?” Willy asks instead of breaching the tense subject of Mitch’s freedom of association. 

 

“Of course,” she blinks, not expecting to be asked that question. “Why wouldn’t I be?” The Harvest is sacred, bonding the villagers together just like the haunting tales of the supernatural. There isn’t a soul that would miss it on purpose. 

 

“Then why wouldn’t Mitch be going? It’s stated, sort of implicitly, that everyone should be going.” It’s times like these when Mitch is glad to have a friend like Willy, times when he actually makes good points. 

 

Mitch’s mother glares at Willy with a furrowed brow. Mitch clears his throat to hide his laugh. 

 

“Come on, Ms. Marner. Mitch is going to be crowned Harvest Queen anyways. You gotta let the people get what they want,” Willy says with a pleading look in Mitch’s mother’s direction. 

 

She sighs. Mitch sees the cogs turning around in her head, sees her weigh out the pros and cons of letting him go. 

 

“William,” she says tiredly with a look at Mitch. Mitch stays silent, indignant. 

 

“He’s gone to the Festival for the last few years, too,” Willy brings up, as if that could change his mother’s mind. Then, Willy’s eyes light up briefly. “And John will also be there!”

 

Mitch turns and glares at Willy. He really wants to go to the Harvest Festival, but not so much that he’d want to hang around John Tavares. 

 

Mitch’s mother purses her lips. She’s given up. 

 

“Fine, he can go,” she says briskly, spinning around the kitchen with sharp twists of her skirts. “But just so you know, I’ll be there too. I’ll be able to see everything.”

 

Mitch shakes his head at Willy, a disappointed gesture with the way Willy handled things. Willy’s arms fly up, affronted. 

 

“I thought I did great,” Willy whispers harshly to Mitch. 

 

“Yeah,” Mitch scoffs back, “you would have, if you hadn’t mention John Tavares at all.”

 

“I had to! Or else how were you supposed to go?”

 

“I don’t know,” Mitch whines. “But, now she’s going to breathe down my neck at the Festival and expect me to be glued to John all day.” 

 

Willy puffs his chest out, “not if I help.”

 

Mitch rolls his eyes and leans back in his seat. “You’ll be too busy fooling around with Kappy.” 

 

Willy looks at Mitch scandalized. “I wouldn’t do that. Bros before hoes.” 

 

“Are you calling Kap a ho?” 

 

“I never said anything explicitly!” Will starts as he leaps out of his seat with flushed cheeks. “Fine, if you’re going to be that way, I’ll never help you get out of the house again.”

 

Willy heads for the door with his head held high and arms crossed. Mitch follows, scrambling to catch up to him as if his chance at freedom would escape as soon as Willy disappears. 

 

“Mitch! Where are you going?” his mother shouts, footsteps pounding after them. 

 

“We’re gonna go set up!” Mitch lies from the door. “Bye, love you!” He pushes Will out before his mother has the chance to barricade their chances at liberation.

 

Mitch lets out a sigh of relief once they’re a few metres away from his house. “Freedom!” he cries out, wiping his brow dramatically with his apron. 

 

“Have you washed that dress?” Willy asks. It’s innocent, he’s genuinely curious. 

 

“Yes,” Mitch pouts indignantly. “Look, it’s a nice dress.” 

 

“I didn’t say it wasn’t a nice dress,” Willy says. “You’ve been wearing it a lot.”

 

“Yeah, because my mom hates it.” Willy turns towards him, stares for a second, and laughs.

 

“I feel you Mitchy,” Willy agrees with an affectionate pat on Mitch’s back. 

 

They wander along the streets quietly, ambling about and retelling stories from their childhoods. There’s the musky scent of ripe grapes in the air and the sharp scent of wine, telling of the Harvest. Mitch smells bread—fresh bread still laden with the warm smell of yeast. It brings Mitch back to the days where the two of them would stand outside the bakery for hours until Mo dragged them away to be more productive with their time. 

 

“Do you ever remember a time when Mo wasn’t telling us what to do?” Mitch smiles, bumping Willy’s shoulder. 

 

“No,” Willy says, deep in thought. “He did stop a bit after he  _ actually _ got together with Jake.”

 

“Jake is such a blessing,” Mitch sighs. “Without him, we’d never escape Mo’s clutches.”

 

“He can’t just let us do dumb shit, can he?” Mitch laughs, clutching Willy’s shoulder. 

 

“Only you do dumb shit. I don’t do dumb shit.”

 

“You’re the one who always goes to that stupid waterfall. Going there is dumb,” Willy accuses and slaps Mitch. 

 

“Mo and Jake go there too!” Mitch says, glaring at Willy. 

 

Will laughs sarcastically. “They’re not in danger of turning into a Willi at all! But you? Perfect prey.”

 

“As if I’m going to die anytime soon,” Mitch scoffs and bumps Willy off into a bush. He tries to hold in his laughter as Willy emerges, flowy blonde hair mussed up in a tangle with bunches of leaves. 

 

“If you do that again, you’ll die very soon,” Willy mutters darkly and sets to work on smoothing out his hair. 

 

“Don’t worry,” Mitch smiles, “your man will still like you even if you don’t have hair.”

 

The look Willy gives him is dark, with full intent to murder etched into his eyes. Mitch shrieks out a laugh and runs before Will can wrestle him into the ground and actually ruin his dress. It’s nice to be out again, Mitch thinks as he runs and runs and runs towards the town square. He can see how hard the townsfolk worked on decorating for the Festival, with baskets full of ripened fruits adorned copiously with crunchy red-gold leaves. 

 

Mitch clambers into the town square and draws the attention of everyone around him. He giggles a little, sheepishly waving and apologising for having disturbed them. They wave him off with a chuckle. 

 

Mitch gives the surrounding area a onceover as he stops, taking in the joyful atmosphere of the event. There’s some wine tasting going on by the deli, the booth overtaken by middle-aged couples and elderly gentlemen alike. The fresh, clean scent of flowers lingers around everywhere with the flower shop going full out with their beautiful display. Mitch sees a lot of little boys and girls smoothing their hands over petals with reverent awe. He smiles, clutching at Willy’s arm as he catches up to him. The wooden benches are being set up, forming a big circle that surrounds the stone fountain. He sees Mo, squabbling with Jake over the placement of one of them. 

 

He tugs Willy and they set off towards them. 

 

“You want any help?” Mitch asks, slapping Jake on the back. Jake shakes his hand off and stares at him. 

 

“I’m good,” Jake replies. “Unless you want to tell Morgan to back off?”

 

“Jake, you’re useless at designing these things, just let me do it,” Mo grumbles, bumping Jake to the side with force. 

 

“You know, if you guys get it set up as quick as possible it means that you can dance as soon as possible?” Willy pipes up, tilting his voice up a pitch at the end of the sentence. “I don’t think Babs is going to sock you for not setting up the benches perfectly.”

 

Mitch nods in approval, patting Willy on the shoulder. Willy nods in return, thanking Mitch for agreeing. 

 

“Yeah, Morgan,” Jake says. “Don’t you want to dance? You don’t want to keep all the townsfolk waiting, do you?”

 

“This is terrible, all of you have no standards,” Mo complains. “I bet you guys don’t want the crown to look good either.”

 

“Hey, no one said anything about the crown,” Mitch huffs. 

 

Mo rolls his eyes, heaves a big sigh, and stalks away from Jake. “Fine, have it your way. Don’t blame me if you accidentally hit your head on a bench that sticks out.”

 

Mitch giggles, elbowing Willy. They watch on in amusement as Jake placates Mo in an odd manner that involves chirping and reluctant compliments. Mitch knows they love each other—love that is deeper than flimsy romantic gestures that are more theatrical in nature. They’ve known each other since birth, back when Jake was a clueless toddler and Mo was a cheerful baby. Mitch has witnessed their relationship coming into fruition, a gradual and slow growth that neither of them had realised was happening.

 

 _“Me and Jake kissed,”_ Mo had whispered to him in fear one day, a few years back. Mitch had been confused—he thought they had been dating ever since Mo moved in with Jake a few months ago. 

 

“Dude,” Mitch says in awe. 

 

“I know,” Willy replies. 

 

“How do they do that?”

 

“I don’t know,” Willy says, resigned. 

 

Mo and Jake are dancing to the sound of the local band, still quarreling with each other. Mo steps on Jake’s feet on purpose, yet there’s a playful undertone to their movements. It feels like foreplay to Mitch. It’s weirdly intimate and Mitch is scared. 

 

“Is this what their sex life is like?” Mitch whispers sharply, turning his head to stare at Will.

 

Will sighs, “Mitch, it’s better not to know.”

 

***

 

“This is terrible,” Mitch mutters under his breath. He sits next to Willy and John, waiting for the town chief, Babs, to declare the Harvest Queen. He can feel his mother’s eyes drill two circles into the back of his head, expressing her irritation. 

 

“At least you’re here,” Willy offers with a shrug and turns back to playing with Kappy’s hair. Mitch scowls, shifting slightly so he can send a look to Matts who’s on the other side of Kappy. He gives Mitch a small smile. Mitch smiles back ruefully and settles down, stiff as a board.

 

Mo and Jake sit in front of them, acting like little boys as they giggle amongst themselves. It’s a total one-eighty from the spectacle a few hours ago. Mitch isn’t sure what they’re talking about, but he thinks it’s discerning their stupidity. He crosses his legs and  _ accidentally _ kicks Mo’s seat. He turns back with a glare and a raised eyebrow. Mitch smiles innocently in return. 

 

“Should you be doing that?” JT says to him. His tone is disapproving, slightly bitter tasting. 

 

“Doing what?” Mitch says.

 

“Messing with your superiors?” 

 

Mitch furiously avoids JT’s eyes and focuses his eyes on the two moles on the back of Mo’s neck.

 

“I’m not,” he says. “They’re my friends.”

 

JT raises his eyebrows and leans back in his seat. “Okay.”

 

Mitch clenches his teeth and tries not to cross his arms. He hopes his mother didn’t hear their hostile conversation.

 

There’s a part of Mitch that regrets coming out. He wants to fool around with Matts, like Kappy and Willy, and Mo and Jake. He wishes JT would just… go away. There isn’t anything Mitch could give him that he’d want. He isn’t as docile as everyone thinks—not as easy to manipulate. He ponders the viability that he could leave with Matts and Kappy back to their hometown, away from the suffocating clutches of his town. It would mean leaving Mo, Jake, Willy, and everyone else he’s come to love and hold dear to his heart in his small town. 

 

He’s biting at his lip when Willy shakes him. He looks up with wide eyes, surprised to be called upon. 

 

“You’re up,” Willy says quietly, “Harvest Queen.”

 

The words feel damning this time around, less of an excitement and prestigious title and more of an anchor. He stands up, dress crumpled and ribbons tangled. He runs a hand in his hair, hoping it wasn’t sticking out everywhere. He feels ridiculous, even more so when he passes Matts and smiles bashfully in return to Matts’s bright grin. He makes his way down to the front of the seats, where Babs is waiting. He shakes his hand with a tight beam. 

 

“Good job, Mitchy,” Babs says in his deep tone and grins at Mitch, placing the golden diadem braided with rich-coloured flowers of deep scarlet. It’s one of the valued possessions of the village, a small quantity of the little gold they have. 

 

“Thanks, Babs,” Mitch smiles. This time, it’s real. 

 

Babs turns him towards the crowd, “Your Harvest Queen for this Harvest season, Mitchell Marner.”

 

Mitch curtsies low, face adorned with a gleaming grin. The villagers applaud, followed by cheers coming from Mo and Willy. Mitch laughs, catching Matts’s eyes and blushes. There’s a brief halt in noise before the chants start back up. But this time, they’re looking for him to dance.

 

Mitch’s eyes widen and he automatically looks to his mother. Her lips are set in a stony straight line, the obvious disagreement set in her eyes. Mitch looks at Babs; he thinks there’s a pleading look in his eyes. Babs frowns and nods encouragingly with his mind set, almost ushering him into the the town centre to perform. 

 

Everyone stands up and clambers along, whooping and shouting in excitement as Mitch is led to an open area that constitutes his stage. Matts catches up with him, smiling at him as he’s getting tugged by Babs.

 

“Wow, Mitchy,” he says, “winning the title three years in a row?”

 

Mitch laughs, “you know me, always trying to win.” He’s clearly joking; he doesn’t care about winning at all.

 

Matts smiles again, brushing their fingers together gingerly. Mitch tries to clasp on without making it seem obvious, but Babs is dragging him with too much force. He gives a shrug, unable to slow down much, and the gap widens between them.

 

He feels settled when he stands in the middle of all the townsfolk. He loves all these people dearly, wants to bring them happiness and joy. He thinks about Willy, about Mo, about Jake, about his mother, and about  _ Matty. _ He’s ready to dance. He’ll give it their all.

 

Mitch is poised in position, thinking about all the things that have happened in the past few days. He lifts his leg and the stomping of feet in the distance startles him. 

 

He looks around, catching Babs’s confused face. Kappy and Matts are gone. 

 

“What’s happening?” he hears Petey say in the crowd as a group of nobles come wandering into the town square. 

 

Mitch wanders further out of the centre, inching closer to Willy and the rest of the group. 

 

“Lady Elizabeth Charlotte,” Babs greets with a nod and a partial bow.

 

He’s referring to who seems to be the head of the group of nobles. She wears her golden curls piled high into a tower on top of her head, pearls and rubies adorning the ringlets in dainty strings. Her chest is exposed, corset pushing her breasts high, framed with gold lace trim. Her dress is a rosy pink, made of fabrics that Mitch could only dream of seeing. Everything about her screams elegance and entitlement, from her powdered white cheeks and scarlet red lips to the intricate etching along the hem of her dress. She leads a group of noblemen, wound tight in silky robes of gaudy colours. 

 

“What is going on here?” the Lady exclaims with an exaggerated face of excitement. Mitch doesn’t know how he feels about her. 

 

“It’s our annual Harvest Festival,” Babs explains in his gruff voice. “Mitch, our new Harvest Queen, was just about to dance for us.”

 

“Oh! That sounds quite fun! We were just passing by, maybe we could stay and see this… spectacle play out. Have you seen my betrothed around here?” she smiles, a little disdain bleeding into her face. Her tone is sweet as overripe apples. 

 

Her words hit Mitch a little, the superiority of the meaning trickling through his ears. 

 

“Of course,” Babs gestures. “Stay as long as you’d like. I haven’t had the pleasure to glimpse Prince Matthews, but I’ll gladly keep an eye out.”

 

She nods slowly, turning Babs’s words over in her mind.  It seems she’s satisfied with the decision. 

 

“Go on then,” she barks at Mitch, settling down on a bench that a few boys brought over at the beck of the other noblemen. 

 

Mitch smiles at the Lady placidly, willing himself to calm down. He searches the crowd for Matts again, but comes up empty. All he sees is Willy making faces behind Lady Elizabeth Charlotte’s back. He smiles discreetly for himself and forces himself back into position. 

 

He takes a deep breath and dances. 

 

It’s been a while since he allowed himself to let go and work his emotions into his dancing. He tries to keep his movements prim and proper, to impress the Lady. It’s a playful dance, full of hops and twirls that spin the folds of his dress around. It’s slow-going, before his finale. The moves are meant to showcase a final burst of energy as he spins around in a full circle, creating sharp gusts of wind that ruffles the clothes of his audience. He stops and curtsies, hair flying everywhere and chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath. He smiles for his village as the claps ring out. 

 

“Yeah, Mitch!” he hears Willy shout from his left. There’s a resounding smack that Mitch thinks is from Mo and he can’t help but smother his laugh. 

 

He shakily makes his way to his friends, completely ignoring the ardent glares from his mother. He gives a bright and shy smile to the Lady as he passes by.

 

“Well! What a wonderful display! I can’t help but feel a little tired myself after all that dancing,” the Lady announces with a flourish of her own dress. The men accompanying her nod, tilting their heads up above the rest of the villagers.

 

Will has a hand on his shoulder, still laughing about how good he did. 

 

“Why don’t you come have a rest at our cottage?” Mitch pipes up as heads turn towards him in waves. “It’s not much, but I promise mother and I would be honoured to have you stay there.”

 

Lady Elizabeth Charlotte turns towards him with a menacing smile. “That would be lovely my dear, what a terrific idea.” She stands up, smoothing the nonexistent folds on her dress. “Lead the way then, little Harvest Queen.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mitch glares at JT harshly. “John, what are you saying? Matts has treated me better than you ever have!”
> 
> John turns his head towards Mitch, his face of arrogance turning into one of delicate pity. Mitch hates it. It feels patronizing and demeaning, as if JT thought Mitch was below him in every way. 
> 
> “Matts? Oh Mitch, you poor boy, you don’t even know his real name,” JT croons, sweeping a finger down Mitch’s cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay there could be some triggers this chapter (its pretty minor? idk). so if you guys elect not to read the whole chapter, ill leave a complete summary down below.

Mitch tiptoes out the door as silently as he can, careful not to draw attention to himself. He just finished bringing Princess Elizabeth Charlotte to his cottage, pampering her with all the things she asked for.  _ “Do you happen to have a glass of wine? What about a fan? It’s dreadfully hot and stuffy in here. Oh! Is that a hand-embroidered pillow? Could you bring it to me so I can have a better look?” _ The pillow she took a liking to also happened to be one that Mitch had spent  _ hours _ of labour on, etching little blue birds that resulted in numerous pricks upon his hands. And the Princess had spilt one of their best wines on it. 

 

Mitch huffs, adjusting his diadem so it stays in his hair. He’ll return it tomorrow. 

 

He quickly runs towards the town square again, making the short trip in a few minutes. He promised Willy he’d come back as soon as possible—the celebrations haven’t stopped yet. Although, Mitch does feel kind of bad for leaving his mother at the mercy of the Princess and her gang of burly nobles. They’re quite snobby and his mother did seem like her head was about to explode. 

 

Mitch shrugs, finding the lot of his friends surrounding the deli. Matty and Kappy had magically appeared. Mitch wasn’t sure where they went in the first place. 

 

Mitch creeps up silently behind Matts, who’s very carefully sampling a bite of their cured meats with some cheese. He pokes him on the shoulder and steps away so he doesn’t get elbowed. Matts’s reaction is hilarious as he yelps with a gigantic jump, almost dropping his food. The people surrounding him tense from the unexpected nature of Matts’s scream. Willy looks like he’s about to bolt. 

 

There’s a genuine look of confused fear on Matts’s face before he realises it was Mitch that tapped him. 

 

“Mitch, what the fuck,” he sighs in relief as he tries to grab Mitch in a tight hold. Mitch laughs, followed by a huge fit from Kappy. 

 

“Just wanted to say hi,” Mitch smiles in return. Kappy is still laughing; it’s the first time Mitch has seen him that genuinely happy when Willy wasn’t involved. 

 

“Dude,” Matts whispers harshly, “now Kap’s never going to stop laughing.” Mitch snorts, punching Matty lightly underneath his ribs. 

 

“That’s fine,” Mitch says with a tiny smile. 

 

“You should make it up to me,” Matts pouts, clutching Mitch around the waist with one arm. He reaches up to adjust Mitch’s diadem with a gentle hand, centering it. 

 

Mitch blushes and giggles nervously. “Make it up to you, eh?”

 

Matty smirks, catching Mitch’s hand as he tries to mess up Matts’s long strands of hair. He presses a kiss to his palm and Mitch jerks at the contact. 

 

Mitch stares up into Matts’s eyes, smiling wide and unable to control it. He blinks slowly. He hasn’t kissed Matts yet. How have they not kissed yet? Mitch wants to kiss Matty, and he’s sure Matty wants to kiss him to. 

 

“I’m going to kiss you now,” Mitch whispers, shaking his hand from Matts’s grip and places both hands on Matts’ shoulders. 

 

Matty gazes at him, strong and half-lidded. “Okay.”

 

And Mitch kisses him. It’s nothing too special. Mitch has only ever kissed two people in his life. The first time was with Willy when they were twelve. It was terrible—they couldn’t stop laughing and he had felt absolutely nothing. The second time, he kissed a girl. Anna. It was okay that time, but she had moved with her family to the Matthews’ Kingdom where there was more prosperity. Mitch felt like he could’ve married her if he had to. 

 

But this kiss, with Matts, is completely different. It’s so simple, just a tiny peck. But there’s something about the way Matts holds him, enveloping him completely in his arms. Mitch feels warmth all around him and a strong sense that this is  _ his.  _ This moment only belongs to Matts and him. 

 

Mitch huffs out against Matts’s lips and tries to deepen the kiss. He doesn’t have too much skill, he admits, but it’s  _ Matty. _ So he tries to get closer and closer. Their noses bump multiple times, but it doesn’t seem like Matts minds so he keeps going. His hands make their way into Matty’s hair, running along through the smooth strands. The hands on his waist tighten and Mitch gasps, allowing Matts to slip his tongue inside Mitch’s mouth. 

 

It’s nothing like Mitch has done before and he feels his blood rush underneath his skin, pulsing and hot. Mitch whimpers a little as he feels Matts’s thumbs rub little circles into his waist and the sharp nip of teeth at his lips. He pulls away, gasping for air and notices Willy giving him a death stare. 

 

Mo comes quickly, dragging him from Matts with a stern look. “You’re in public.”

 

“What?” Mitch manages, still out of breath. 

 

Mo sighs, “if your mother saw this, she’d kill you.” 

 

Mitch blushes and looks back to Matts, where he’s talking to Kappy. 

 

“And you tell me to stop fooling around with Kappy,” Willy drawls, sauntering up to Mitch and placing a heavy arm around his shoulders.

 

“This never happened,” Mitch clarifies. 

 

Jake looks confused when he comes back with a pretzel. He hands it to Mo and stares at Mitch questioningly. “Did I miss something?”

 

“Thanks Jakey,” Mo smiles teasingly, “you did. But I don’t think you’d want to see it anyways. It’s like your kid having sex right in front of you.”

 

Mitch is offended. “Jake gave you a lap dance right in front of us before!” Mitch accuses. 

 

“It was like seeing your  _ parents _ have sex in front of you,” Willy says solemnly, adding on to Mitch’s point and dropping the focus on Mitch.

 

“That’s different,” Mo scoffs, looking at both Mitch and Willy, “we were both adults. You’re  _ children. _ ” 

 

Mitch sputters, “we’re three years younger than you.”

 

Mo waves him off. “Same thing.” He bites into the pretzel, humming. “Jake, this is a good pretzel. Great job.”

 

“Thanks,” Jake snorts, running a hand through his hair. 

 

***

 

“You’re so dumb,” Mitch mumbles from his spot in Matts’s lap. He’s almost suffocating, his face planted right into Matts’s thighs. Even if he were to die, it’d be a great way to go. 

 

“Shut up,” Willy dismisses as he skips around their makeshift circle with Mitch’s diadem on his head. The lot of them are settled near the band playing festive music. It’s gathered a crowd of joyous dancers celebrating the wonderful day.

 

Several children have already come up to Mitch, crawling over him and completely disregarding his personal space in lieu of meeting the Harvest Queen. It’s worn him out, which is why he’s almost asleep in Matts’s lap. 

 

“Kap, get your boyfriend under control,” Mitch says tiredly. “Make sure he doesn’t destroy my crown or else Babs will kill me.”

 

“I can’t control Willy, man,” Kappy says in a laid back tone. He’s lying down on the ground, not even looking at Willy. “He’s too much.” Mitch takes note of the fact that Kappy doesn’t mind him calling Willy’s boyfriend. He wonders how Will feels.

 

“You’re not even trying to stop me,” Willy pouts and settles down next to him, pinching Mitch slightly like a reprimand.

 

Matts hums, a contented rumble in his chest. Mitch shifts so he’s lying on his back and stares up at Matts. “Why are you so tall?” 

 

“Are you good, Mitchy?” Matts says amusedly and runs a hand through Mitch’s hair. 

 

“I’m perfect,” Mitch smiles and closes his eyes.

 

“Is he sleep drunk again?” Mo shouts from the opposite end of the circle. 

 

Jake pats Mo on the back, indicating that he’s being too loud. “Seems like it.”

 

“It’s cute,” Matts smiles and tugs at a strand of Mitch’s hair. Mitch protests half-heartedly at the pain and smashes his face back into Matty’s thighs again.  

 

“Your dress is going to get dirty,” Willy offers nonchalantly, twirling Mitch’s diadem in his hand. Mitch sits up with a huff and swipes his crown back, settling it down on his head. 

 

“Stop playing with that. You’re actually going to break it.” Mitch pushes at Will forcelessly.

 

Willy’s hand falls back down. “Nice to know you trust me.” 

 

“Will, let’s be honest here,” Mitch mumbles, “no one trusts you.” He turns his head just in time to see the pinched look on Willy’s face emerge. He quickly buries his head in Matts’ shoulder to hide his smile. 

 

Mitch feels Matts wrap his arm around him when the sound of footsteps on the cobblestone ground grows louder rapidly. Mitch turns around a little, to the source of the sound, and sees JT storming towards them with a furious countenance. 

 

Mitch sighs and catches Mo and Jake’s eyes. They both exude reassurance and firmness; Mitch knows he has their full support. 

 

“John,” Mitch says when JT finally reaches them in an air of rage.

 

“Mitch,” JT says firmly, voice still monotone. JT gives Mitch a brief glance before averting his steely gaze to Matts. He’s holding something behind his back. Mitch tenses, he’s afraid that JT will do something terrible to Matty.

 

“You know, ‘Matts’, I always wondered where you were from,” JT starts. Everyone has quieted down, all waiting for JT to strike. 

 

“I already told you before, John,” Matts speaks up, eyes set in anger. 

 

JT raises an eyebrow. “Really? Well, it seems like you were lying before.”

 

“You should shut up,” Matts growls. Mitch whips his head in Matts’s direction and sends a questioning look. 

 

“You shouldn’t have played with things that aren’t yours,” JT smirks, stepping closer to the circle. 

 

Mitch grips Matty’s arm tight, trying to get his attention. Matts smiles down at him, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. He gives Mitch a calming squeeze back on his thigh and directs his attention on JT again. Mitch sees Kappy’s hand go to his side in the corner of his eye. There’s a tangible ball of worry and fear growing in his gut. 

 

“If you think Mitch is a thing, you have something else coming to you,” Matts snarls. 

 

“Well, judging by the way you’ve treated him, it seems like you think of him as a disposable object.” 

 

Mitch glares at JT harshly. “John, what are you saying? Matts has treated me better than you ever have!”

 

John turns his head towards Mitch, his face of arrogance turning into one of delicate pity. Mitch hates it. It feels patronizing and demeaning, as if JT thought Mitch was below him in every way. 

 

“Matts? Oh Mitch, you poor boy, you don’t even know his real name,” JT croons, sweeping a finger down Mitch’s cheek. 

 

Mitch jolts away, skin crawling at the trailing touch. It’s a pressure light enough to cause goosebumps to raise along his exposed arms. A chilling breeze rustles past him like a bad omen.

 

“His real name?” Mitch looks to Matts; his hands are clenched tight into fists. If Matts really wasn’t his name, then what was it? Matts wouldn’t lie to Mitch. Mitch knows that.

 

“You naive child,” JT scoffs. “Time for you to learn the truth.”

 

“Don’t fucking do this,” Matts interjects, stare pinning JT to the ground.

 

“It’s not your choice to make.” 

 

JT smiles sinisterly, finally taking his hands out from behind his back. He’s holding a sword. Mitch flinches on instinct when JT offers the sword to him, thinking that he’d be hurt. Mitch stares up at JT, confused.

 

“Mitch, please don’t take the sword,” Matts pleads. Mitch looks to him with a puzzled regard. The curiosity wins out.

 

Mitch reaches out with a shaky hand and grips the cold metal hesitantly. He turns the blade, gasping as he sees the initials ‘A.M.’ on the hilt with the emblem of the Matthews. It’s Auston Matthews’ sword. Mitch takes in the flawless gold hilt, the sharp edge of silver-toned metal of the sword, and mystic etching on the pommel. 

 

“Where did you get this?” Mitch whispers. “Should I even be touching this?”

 

“Good question,” JT smirks. “I found it at the place your ‘boyfriend’ is staying at.”

 

Mitch blushes, they had never labelled their relationship. 

 

JT found it at Matts’s place. Did Matts steal the sword? Wait. Auston Matthews. Matts.

 

“Is this sword yours?” Mitch asks Matts, voice unnaturally monotone. 

 

Matts doesn’t say anything. He opens his mouth.

 

“Don’t you fucking dare lie to me again,” Mitch spits out, virulence strong in his tone. 

 

Matts’s lips thin out as he closes his mouth. “It is.”

 

Mitch drops the sword hastily as if it would burn holes into his hands. A sense of foreboding, rage, and uncertainty worms its way into Mitch’s heart. Matts. Auston Matthews. The Crown Prince. 

 

Mitch felt betrayal. Why would Matts— _ Auston, _ his brain whispers bitterly—lie to him? Did he not trust Mitch at all? Was JT right? Did Auston really see Mitch as an object to obtain and to toy with?

 

“Mitch,” Willy whispers. Willy sees the unruly daze in Mitch’s eyes. He urges Mitch over to him, away from Auston, and holds him tightly as if his arms were a barrier to protect Mitch. 

 

“That really isn’t all. Right, Your Highness?” JT says. Mitch doesn’t have the heart to say anything. 

 

There’s a hunting horn in JT’s hands. Mitch isn’t sure what he’s going to do with it. He doesn’t really care anymore. 

 

“John, give me the fucking horn,” Auston says darkly. 

 

JT stares Auston down and blows into the horn with one fluid breath, a deep billowing sound resounding into the depths of the town. 

 

Auston grits his teeth and quickly reaches for the sword that lays a few feet away from Mitch. Kappy’s quick to stop him with a grip of his hand and shake of his head. 

 

“You don’t know what you’ve done,” Auston spits out at John, eyes furious. 

 

John’s face doesn’t change from his normal countenance of bored nonchalance. “I think I know more than to lie to Mitch.”

 

“It’s not like that.” Auston blinks angrily, trying not to strangle John instead with his hands. 

 

“Is it? It seems to me you’re in trouble,” John smiles. It looks gruesome and too different from how Auston used to see his face. 

 

“This is all your fucking fault,” Auston shouts, lunging at John once again. Kappy obstructs him, grunting with the force it takes him to prevent Auston from moving. Jake joins him quickly, unwilling for his town’s headhunter to be involved in anything—especially with the Crown Prince.

 

“I didn’t make this choice. You did.” John tilts his chin up, taunting Auston. 

 

Mitch stares up at Auston, eyes confused and imploring. He leans back into Willy and falls into the abyss in his mind. Mitch prays that this is the last of it; that he isn’t going to suffer anymore because of Auston. He wanted to escape this restrictive town and settle down somewhere else with  _ Matts. _ Now he isn’t sure if he should even have dreams anymore. Everything seemed to fall apart in the end. 

 

“Auston?” the lofty voice of Princess Elizabeth Charlotte comes from out in the distance. Mitch sees her hurry out from the direction of his cottage, a hopeful yet deceitful look on her face as her skirts billow out gracefully behind her. The click-clacking of her heels forces the ringing in Mitch’s ears to get louder and louder. There’s her lackey of men following her and, of course, Mitch’s mother. She looks frazzled and unhappy. 

 

Mitch makes an uneasy noise and burrows deeper into Will who soothes him in response. 

 

“Liselotte,” Auston responds with a glistening smile. His posture changes completely. No longer is he enraged and ready to cut John in half, but instead he carries himself in a wispy and calm exterior. 

 

Mitch is utterly confused by his change in personality; he doesn’t see any of the teasing, goofy man he knows. There’s only a cocky gentlemanliness that feels painted on. Who is this woman to Auston?

 

“Where have you been?” ‘Liselotte’ cries, running towards Auston and cupping his face in her hands. “I’ve been searching for you everywhere! I only recognized that you were here because of  your horn!”

 

“Well, you found me now,” Auston says back, reaching up with his hand to hold Liselotte’s gently. 

 

Mitch’s heart stops. What is Auston doing?

 

“You better come back right now, then! The wedding approaches and I still need your opinions on some of the details.” Liselotte smiles and tucks a strand of Auston’s hair behind his ear. 

 

“The wedding?” Mitch whispers hoarsely. He looks at Auston. The response he receives is an ashamed turn of his head. 

 

“The wedding? Do you not follow the events happening between your Royalty? Crown Prince Matthews and I are engaged. We have been for quite a while,” Liselotte fixes him with a unimpressed and disgusted look. 

 

“Is that true?” Mitch asks Auston. “Are you seriously engaged?” 

 

“How dare you speak to your Prince like that! Do you not ha—”

 

“Yeah,” Auston says, voice trembling. He doesn’t meet Mitch’s gaze. “It’s true.”

 

“So this really wasn’t anything to you, is that right?” Mitch stands up abruptly, shaking furiously with the sudden force of his anger. 

 

“That’s not true! Mitch, you weren’t nothing,” Auston pleads. 

 

Mitch laughs, cold and disoriented. 

 

“Mitch?” Willy asks quietly. “Are you okay?”

 

“Am I okay? Willy, I’ve never been better!” 

 

Mitch laughs again. He can’t seem to stop. He thinks the whole situation is hilarious; his own delusional desire to find freedom and love is stupidly funny. The fact he feels so much pain and love for Auston is the nail in the coffin. Time and love and effort spent on someone he didn’t truly know. Someone who didn’t know him. 

 

There’s a sharp pain in his chest. Mitch cries out, clutching at his heart as he stumbles over his own feet. He hears shrieks of worry and fear, perhaps of his name. But everything is muffled as gravity pulls him down and the darkness clouds his consciousness. He lets himself fall into the chasm. 

 

***

 

Auston heaves heavily as chaos breaks out around him, heart beating briskly. Liselotte is the first to scream when Mitch’s head cracks open from his impact with the rock. His flesh splits, fresh blood seeping out from the wound like water flowing serenely in its riverbed. The colour matches the diadem strewn on the ground. He remembers that harmonious clink as it collided with the cobblestone. 

 

Auston stares at the viscous, scarlet substance in denial as if the body on the ground isn’t Mitch. Auston knows it can’t be, it  _ can’t be Mitch. _

 

Willy’s crying silent tears, cradling Mitch’s body in such an awkward position that Auston thinks it must ache his bones. Mitch’s mother is screaming bloody murder, her words screeching and piercing as they mix with the sound of her violent sobs. Jake and Mo stand on the sidelines, embracing each other tightly and lamenting at the tragedy. 

 

No. Auston doesn’t want to admit it. He doesn’t want Mitch to be gone.

 

“Auston?” Liselotte’s shrill voice fills his ears. “What was that boy talking about?”

 

“Nothing,” he replies drably. He’s still looking at Mitch’s body. 

 

He steps tentatively towards Mitch. 

 

“Don’t you dare get any closer to my son!” Mitch’s mother screams, barreling towards Auston in a flurry of tears and red-faced anger. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Auston says. “I just… I want to see him up close one last time.”

 

“You don’t deserve a last time! You did this! You did this to Mitch!” She’s closer, trying to gouge at Auston with her long, long nails. 

 

Auston steps closer, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t… I love Mitch as much as you do.” His voice is sincere. He  _ loves _ Mitch so much. And he didn’t even get to tell him that.

 

Mitch’s mother stops, tired out as Jake and Morgan physically restrain her from tearing Auston into shreds. Her tears still run down her face in streams. 

 

“Get out of here!” John screams. “Leave the poor woman and her son alone, you’ve done enough damage! I’ll be the first one to kill you if you aren’t gone in five minutes.” 

 

There’s a scandalized look from Liselotte, shocked that her loyal subjects would ever threaten anyone of royalty. 

 

“Auston,” Kappy whispers to him, clutching at his arm. “We need to  _ go.” _

 

Auston looks at him with a torn look full of despair. “But Mitch.”

 

“He’s not here anymore. You don’t want any more trouble.” Kappy implores him with a sincere look, washed out with sadness.

 

Auston looks to the array of people mourning the loss of Mitch around him, all in varying levels of distress. John stares him down, burning fire behind his body language. Mitch’s mother still hovers back, held back by Morgan and Jake. He looks at Mitch once again, still in Willy’s arms, and commits his too-pale skin and un-seeing blue eyes to memory. 

 

He leaves with a tear running down his cheek, Kappy following close with a bitter sadness on his tongue.

 

***

 

Mitch wakes up disoriented. It’s dark where he is. His eyes adjust, slowly becoming accustomed to the lack of  light. 

 

He jolts up, feeling the cold wispy wind of someone breathing on him. Mitch turns and comes face to face with a man clothed in all white, trails of fabric falling behind him like a beautiful train. His face is ethereal, skin too luminous and blue eyes too bright to be fully human. 

 

“Travis?” Mitch asks softly in disbelief. The arms cradling him tighten a little. 

 

The man smiles back wistfully and nods. “You’re here too soon, Mitchy. But you’re one of us now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGERS:  
> mitch basically leaves his house to hang with the usual gang. but jt comes and disrupts the party. this is when everyone finds out 'matts' is actually prince auston matthews. his identity is exposed and mitch finds out hes engaged to princess elizabeth charlotte (liselotte). mitch faints and hits his head on a rock, passing away. there is a brief description of blood here, hence the warning. 
> 
> you guys dont know how glad i am that i can now type austons name as auston.

**Author's Note:**

> so uh. yeah that happened. 
> 
> anyways, if you liked this fic please leave a kudos. and if you really liked it, leave a comment down below. tell all your friends and come talk to me on tumblr @mitcheemarns
> 
> So since this fic is discontinued, I posted the outline on my tumblr. I might come back to it. Maybe.


End file.
